Gameplay Overview

Benimaru Nikaido is one of the fan favorites from the original roster all the way from KOF94. In this game he is definitely one of the best characters with almost every tool at his disposal. The only important move he lost from previous games was the reversal kick. Despite that loss he can still be played in various different ways ranging from keepaway to rushdown. Due to his good damage and versatility he fits any slot in the team.

Strengths:

+ Awesome set of moves both normal and special

+ Raijinken being probably the most buff version of itself ever, covering jumps and ground approaches at the same time, while building meter

+ j.D is king

+ Versatile gameplay that supports both defense and offense

+ Fits any team composition

+ Fast meter build

+ Command grab

Weaknesses:

- No proper reversal move without meter

- No proper projectile without MAX

- Fast standing pokes (st.A, st.B, st.C) whiff on crouchers

Normals

Standing

st. A: This is a quick, long ranged jab mostly used to stop incoming/forward hops. When the opponent is blocking, it will whiff on most crouching characters and can be chained into from cr.B and cr.A.

st. B: This fast kick has a decent upward arc that is typically used to stop incoming/forward hops. .. This normal whiffs on most crouching characters and can be chained into from cr.B or cr.A.

st. C: This hard punch is used as a hard hitting poke & stops incoming hops However, this is not as fast as st.A or st.B. Because of this, you will have to do this normal earlier.

st. D: It has a slow startup but is a great long range poke to confirm into quick max combos. As of 3.10 it no longer avoids low moves although you may still avoid some grounded projectiles (Iori, Geese) when timed correctly.

Close

cl. A: A quick cancellable elbow jab. Hits crouching characters and can chain from cr. B and cr. A if needed.

cl. B: Benimaru performs a cancel-able side kick aimed at the opponent's face. Can be chained from cr. B, and cr. A. Will hit crouching opponents despite the animation.

cl. C: Benimaru throws out a cancel-able fierce, quick, swinging elbow. Best used as a punish into a combo, or after a jump-in attack.

cl. D: Benimaru knees the opponent. Similar in use & damage to cl. C, but less negative frames on block and has more pushback on block.

Crouching

cr. A: A fast cancel-able jab that can be used to maintain pressure and can chain from cr. B, and cl. A.

cr. B: A fast cancel-able crouching light kick that you will be using to confirm into combos. Can chain into itself and cr. A and cl. A. Hits low.

cr. C: Benimaru throws out an uppercut while remaining crouched. Can be used as a grounded anti-air and is cancel-able. It has a generous hitbox even slightly reaching behind Benimaru.

cr. D: This is a cancel-able good ranged sweep. Hits low.

Jumping

j. A: This jumping elbow attack has a downward angle aimed at 4 o'clock (on 1p side). Can be used for air-to-air situations. Special cancel-able.

j. C: This jumping punch has the same downward angle as j. A but has a deeper vertical range. Good for jump-ins. Special cancel-able.

j. D: This long, horizontal ranged flying kick can be used as an air-to-air, a jump-in attack, and can cross-up easily. Special cancel-able. One of the best jumping attacks in the game due to being so versatile.

Blowback

st. CD: Benimaru stays in place while delivering a powerful, long ranged horizontal side kick. Great to use as a poke. Only cancelable on hit (won’t cancel into command normals).

j. CD: This kick is best used for ground-to-air coverage because it whiffs on crouching characters and has a upward aiming angle.

Throws

Catch & Shoot - (b/f+C) close

Benimaru grabs the opponent, then knees them in the face. The opponent lands near the corner of the screen

Can be broken

Soft knockdown

Front Suplex - (b/f+D) close

Benimaru belly-to-belly suplexes the opponent. The opponent lands a character spaces away from Benimaru, and recovers slightly after him allowing for a meaty.

Can be broken

Hard knockdown

Spinning Knee Drop - in air (b/f+C) close

Benimaru grabs the opponent mid-air then drops them straight them under his knees. The opponent recovers slightly after Benimaru & lands two characters spaces away from him.

Command Moves

Benimaru brakes his jump to drill down diagonally towards the opponent. Doesn't combo into anything.

3 hits if performed from a jump (-3F on block), 2 hits if performed from a hop (-2F on block).

Doesn't knockdown

Special Moves

Iai-Geri - (qcf + B/D)

Benimaru performs a lighting fast kick attack aimed at the opponent's face. Comes out in 6 frames & is best used within combos or to use as a quick close ranged punish. It's hard to punish if blocked, but it is susceptible to being whiff punished by sweeps because of its long whiff recovery.

This is the follow-up of Iai-Geri, 2 kicks (the animation of Far D, then his old dp+K). Always best used when Iai-Geri is hit-confirmed; punishable is whiffed or blocked.

Soft knockdown

First hit is super cancel-able

EX:Last hit of his follow-up does 2 extra hits. Best used at the end of combos for extra damage.

Raimeitou - (qcb + A/C)

Benimaru throws out a lightning crescent slash towards the opponent. Best used as a pre-emptive poke (because of its slow start-up) or to be used as a combo extender during max mode.

Light punch version travels a short distance & is hard to punish midscreen.

Heavy punch version travels farther & juggles the opponent. But has very slow start-up (susceptible to being knocked out of before it hits), and has very bad recovery if whiffed. The upside is that it is safe on block.

Soft knockdown

EX: The slash attack turns into a tall projectile that travels full screen.

Raijinken - (qcf+A/C)

Benimaru throws out a lightning ball punch. The opponent is stunned momentarily if hit grounded, while soft knockdowns jumping opponents.

Light punch version is aimed in-front of Benimaru horizontally. The range surrounding the lightning ball is deceptively large which can catch opponents jumping towards you pre-emptively or stopping opponents dashing towards you at a mid-range. Can combo from Benimaru's standing heavy normals. Can be evaded by some characters sweeps & command normal slides. Generally this is the version to go for instead of the heavy one as it covers better angles and faster too.

Heavy punch version is aimed diagonally above his head. Whiffs on crouching opponents. Has slower start-up than the light punch version & can be knocked out of if used as a last second reaction anti-air.

Super Cancel-able

EX: This is the light punch version animation but has less start-up with the same amount of range. When hit, the opponent is stunned, placed mid-air in a juggle-able state.

Air Raijinken - (qcf+A/C)

Benimaru performs an aerial haymaker surrounded by electricity. This move very briefly keeps Benimaru airborne. When hit, the opponent is briefly stunned similar to the grounded Raijinken. This move might whiff on crouching opponents if performed too really during the jumping.

EX: More damage & can follow up with any attack while the opponent is slumping to the ground.

Super Special Moves

Rai-Kou Ken - (qcf, qcf + A/C)

The super version of Raijinken, with more damage & much larger surrounding attack area. Lands 5 hits.

Can combo from Benimaru's special cancel-able ground heavy normals.

Light punch version points in-front of Benimaru. The heavy punch version follows the diagonal direction of the normal heavy punch Raijinken which can whiff on crouching opponents.

Hard knockdown

Max: Fully invincible, faster start-up, more damage with a larger attack area. Best used as an anti-air or at the end of certain combos.

Benimaru Rising Shot - (qcf, qcf + B/D)

Benimaru quickly rushes towards the opponent with a lightning kick that travels a bit over half-screen distance towards the opponent. On hit, Benimaru hit the opponent with a fierce lightning axe kick. Best utilized at the end of combos because of the knockdown or to use as a quick far range punish.

Punish-able on block and if whiffed

Can be knocked out of while traveling towards the opponent

Can combo from Benimaru's light and heavy ground normals

Max:Travels a bit farther than the normal super version, more damaging but has the same start-up time.

Climax Super Special Moves

Raiha Jin-Ou Ken - (qcb, hcf + A+C)

Benimaru zaps the opponent with a full-screen horizontal lightning snake strike. Benimaru is fully invincible throughout this move but is stuck in recovery for a while.

The lightning strike is active for a short amount of time, which can be evaded easily by the opponent by a roll on reaction